Tuesday, September 15, 2015

In 2011 Michael Porter and Mark Kramer wrote an interesting article in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) about organisations creating shared value. Porter and
Kramer argued that organisations need to operate from a new paradigm.
One where value creation is not just about profit generation but also
about how organisations can contribute to solving community and societal
problems. Interestingly their article was not solely about corporate
social responsibility.

They spoke about a genuine paradigm shift in which profit and social responsibility create equal value and they argued that it is possible to create such an organisation.

Shared value
provides value to the organisation achieving its objectives, provides
value to the employees of the organisation in helping them to contribute
to worthwhile projects and provides value to the broader community in
contributing to solving social problems. Importantly, shared valued will
enhance your performance and therefore your career.

A challenge you face is that it is highly likely that neither you nor your colleagues know how to have the conversations
that will enable the paradigm shift that Porter and Kramer described.
This is difficult for professionals to acknowledge because in doing so
you will be admitting that, from your perspective, you are not fully
competent in your role. After all, aren’t you supposed to have developed your management competencies both from your education and your experience over time?

If you see yourself as a life-long learner you will be okay with identifying skills that require improvement.

Unfortunately you won’t have been exposed to the set of skills required to enable you and your colleagues to engage in dialogue. The short video below explains where dialogue sits within the Conversation Continuum, and the essential skills that underpin its development.

The fastest way that you and your colleagues can develop the conversation skills required to enable a paradigm shift to occur, is to learn dialogue
together. A safe environment where both you and your colleagues are
willing learners will enable you to quickly master the skills associated
with dialogue and create the opportunity for paradigm shifts described
by Porter and Kramer to occur.

My Brand new Beyond Being Good Video Series is now available for leaders who want to know how to create and sustain High Performing Teams.

I highly commend Gary Ryan’s Beyond Being Good video series to people who already are in senior management and leadership roles, to those who are coaching others and to those who are starting their personal leadership journeys. The value and strength of Gary’s style is his messages are conversational, simply expressed and succinct while at every step meaningful and empowering. You are strongly encouraged to consider this video series as a primary tool as you develop your personal leadership style and brand.